ABSTRACT
In chapter 3, we described individual change in organizations and introduced four psychological reactions to change. Then, in chapter 4, we explored the interlevel processes in large-system change. In putting these two themes together, in this chapter we see how the psychological reactions occur as the change process is initiated and develops within an organization. As the change process moves through an organization, there is a domino effect as the key individual takes the change issue to a team, and the team takes it to the interdepartmental group and so on until the change affects the entire organization, both internally and externally. The change process in a complex system involves individuals and teams, hearing the news of the proposed change, perceiving it, assessing its impact and deciding how to respond. The support of a critical mass is needed for movement to occur and change to take place. This support is built over time and so there is a need to understand how the change process moves through the organization over a time period.
